Bay Street News

Unifirst Announces Financial Results for the Third Quarter of Fiscal 2024

WILMINGTON, Mass., June 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) (the “Company,” “UniFirst” or “we”) today reported results for its third quarter ended May 25, 2024 as compared to the corresponding period in the prior fiscal year:

Q3 2024 Financial Highlights

The Company’s financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 and 2023 included approximately $3.9 million and $8.4 million, respectively, of costs directly attributable to its customer relationship management (“CRM”) computer system and enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) project. The Company refers to the CRM and ERP projects together as its (“Key Initiatives”). In addition, the Company incurred costs related to the acquisition of Clean Uniform during the third quarter of fiscal 2023 of approximately $0.7 million. The effect of these items on the third quarter of fiscal 2024 and 2023 combined to decrease:

Steven Sintros, UniFirst President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are pleased with the results for our third quarter, which delivered solid growth in revenues, EBITDA and cash flows from operating activities. I want to sincerely thank all our Team Partners who continue to Always Deliver for each other and our customers as we strive towards our vision of being universally recognized as the best service provider in the industry. …all while living our Mission of Serving the People Who do the Hard Work.

Segment Reporting Highlights

Core Laundry Operations

The costs we incurred related to the Key Initiatives and the Clean acquisition, discussed above, were recorded to the Core Laundry Operations’ segment, and combined to decrease both the Core Laundry Operations’ operating and EBITDA margins for the third quarters of fiscal 2024 and 2023 by 0.7% and 1.8%, respectively.

The segment’s operating and EBITDA margin comparisons benefited from elevated expense in the prior year related to higher healthcare claims and costs related to a legal matter.  In addition, merchandise, payroll and other operating input costs were lower in the third quarter of fiscal 2024 as a percentage of revenues.

Specialty Garments

Balance Sheet and Capital Allocation

Financial Outlook

Mr. Sintros continued, “We continue to expect our revenues for fiscal 2024 to be between $2.415 billion and $2.425 billion, however, we now expect fully diluted earnings per share to be between $7.17 and $7.49.” Our outlook for fiscal 2024 includes one extra week of operations compared to fiscal 2023 due to the timing of our fiscal quarter, and assumes:

Conference Call Information

UniFirst Corporation will hold a conference call today at 9:00 a.m. (ET) to discuss its quarterly financial results, business highlights and outlook. A simultaneous live webcast of the call will be available over the Internet and can be accessed at www.unifirst.com.

About UniFirst Corporation

Headquartered in Wilmington, Mass., UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) is a North American leader in the supply and servicing of uniform and workwear programs, facility service products, as well as first aid and safety supplies and services. Together with its subsidiaries, the Company also manages specialized garment programs for the cleanroom and nuclear industries. In addition to partnering with leading brands, UniFirst manufactures its own branded workwear, protective clothing, and floorcare products at its five company-owned ISO-9001-certified manufacturing facilities. With more than 270 service locations, over 300,000 customer locations, and 16,000-plus employee Team Partners, the Company outfits more than 2 million workers every day. For more information, contact UniFirst at 888.296.2740 or visit UniFirst.com.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure

This public announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws that reflect the Company’s current views with respect to future events and financial performance, including projected revenues, operating margin and earnings per share. Forward-looking statements contained in this public announcement are subject to the safe harbor created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and may be identified by words such as “guidance,” “outlook,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “could,” “should,” “may,” “will,” “strategy,” “objective,” “assume,” “strive,” “design,” “assumption,” “vision” or the negative versions thereof, and similar expressions and by the context in which they are used. Such forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations and speak only as of the date made. Such statements are highly dependent upon a variety of risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, uncertainties caused by an economic recession or other adverse economic conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of continued high inflation rates or further increases in inflation or interest rates or extraordinary events or circumstances such as geopolitical conflicts like the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, disruption in the Middle East or the COVID-19 pandemic, and their impact on our customers’ businesses and workforce levels, disruptions of our business and operations, including limitations on, or closures of, our facilities, or the business and operations of our customers or suppliers in connection with extraordinary events or circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic, uncertainties regarding our ability to consummate acquisitions and successfully integrate acquired businesses, including Clean Uniform, and the performance of such businesses, uncertainties regarding any existing or newly-discovered expenses and liabilities related to environmental compliance and remediation, any adverse outcome of pending or future contingencies or claims, our ability to compete successfully without any significant degradation in our margin rates, seasonal and quarterly fluctuations in business levels, our ability to preserve positive labor relationships and avoid becoming the target of corporate labor unionization campaigns that could disrupt our business, the effect of currency fluctuations on our results of operations and financial condition, our dependence on third parties to supply us with raw materials, which such supply could be severely disrupted as a result of extraordinary events or circumstances such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, any loss of key management or other personnel, increased costs as a result of any changes in federal, state, international or other laws, rules and regulations or governmental interpretation of such laws, rules and regulations, uncertainties regarding, or adverse impacts from continued high price levels of natural gas, electricity, fuel and labor or increases in such costs, the negative effect on our business from sharply depressed oil and natural gas prices, the continuing increase in domestic healthcare costs, increased workers’ compensation claim costs, increased healthcare claim costs, our ability to retain and grow our customer base, demand and prices for our products and services, fluctuations in our Specialty Garments business, political or other instability, supply chain disruption or infection among our employees in Mexico and Nicaragua where our principal garment manufacturing plants are located, our ability to properly and efficiently design, construct, implement and operate a new customer relationship management computer system, interruptions or failures of our information technology systems, including as a result of cyber-attacks, additional professional and internal costs necessary for compliance with any changes in or additional Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), New York Stock Exchange and accounting or other rules, including, without limitation, recent rules adopted by the SEC regarding climate-related and cybersecurity-related disclosures, strikes and unemployment levels, our efforts to evaluate and potentially reduce internal costs, the impact of foreign trade policies and tariffs or other impositions on imported goods on our business, results of operations and financial condition, our ability to successfully implement our business strategies and processes, including our capital allocation strategies, our ability to successfully remediate the material weakness in internal control over financial reporting disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 26, 2023 and the other factors described under Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 26, 2023, Part II, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in our other filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which they are made.

Investor Relations Contact
Shane O’Connor, Executive Vice President & CFO
UniFirst Corporation              
978-658-8888
shane_oconnor@unifirst.com

Consolidated Statements of Income
(Unaudited)

    Thirteen Weeks Ended     Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended  
(In thousands, except per share data)   May 25, 2024     May 27, 2023     May 25, 2024     May 27, 2023  
Revenues   $ 603,328     $ 576,668     $ 1,787,564     $ 1,661,157  
                         
Operating expenses:                        
Cost of revenues (1)     391,244       379,419       1,171,231       1,103,287  
Selling and administrative expenses (1)     129,074       132,677       383,350       372,230  
Depreciation and amortization     34,560       31,175       103,453       88,115  
Total operating expenses     554,878       543,271       1,658,034       1,563,632  
                         
Operating income     48,450       33,397       129,530       97,525  
                         
Other expense (income):                        
Interest income, net     (1,406 )     (553 )     (4,590 )     (6,353 )
Other expense, net     522       621       1,813       1,526  
Total other (income) expense, net     (884 )     68       (2,777 )     (4,827 )
                         
Income before income taxes     49,334       33,329       132,307       102,352  
Provision for income taxes     11,277       9,053       31,468       26,309  
                         
Net income   $ 38,057     $ 24,276     $ 100,839     $ 76,043  
                         
Income per share – Basic:                        
Common Stock   $ 2.12     $ 1.35     $ 5.61     $ 4.23  
Class B Common Stock   $ 1.70     $ 1.08     $ 4.49     $ 3.39  
                         
Income per share – Diluted:                        
Common Stock   $ 2.03     $ 1.29     $ 5.38     $ 4.06  
                         
Income allocated to – Basic:                        
Common Stock   $ 31,962     $ 20,394     $ 84,716     $ 63,882  
Class B Common Stock   $ 6,095     $ 3,882     $ 16,123     $ 12,161  
                         
Income allocated to – Diluted:                        
Common Stock   $ 38,057     $ 24,276     $ 100,839     $ 76,043  
                         
Weighted average shares outstanding – Basic:                        
Common Stock     15,062       15,087       15,094       15,084  
Class B Common Stock     3,590       3,590       3,590       3,590  
                         
Weighted average shares outstanding – Diluted:                        
Common Stock     18,705       18,748       18,738       18,751  
                                 
(1) Exclusive of depreciation on the Company’s property, plant and equipment and amortization on its intangible assets.
 

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited)

(In thousands)   May 25, 2024     August 26, 2023  
Assets            
Current assets:            
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 112,246     $ 79,443  
Short-term investments     13,186       10,157  
Receivables, net     284,363       279,078  
Inventories     161,487       148,334  
Rental merchandise in service     242,971       248,323  
Prepaid taxes     13,679       20,907  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets     56,457       53,876  
Total current assets     884,389       840,118  
Property, plant and equipment, net     790,031       756,540  
Goodwill     648,795       647,900  
Customer contracts and other intangible assets, net     125,877       145,618  
Deferred income taxes     729       567  
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net     66,702       62,565  
Other assets     134,895       116,667  
Total assets   $ 2,651,418     $ 2,569,975  
Liabilities and shareholders’ equity            
Current liabilities:            
Accounts payable   $ 86,273     $ 92,730  
Accrued liabilities     165,386       156,408  
Accrued taxes           352  
Operating lease liabilities, current     18,160       17,739  
Total current liabilities     269,819       267,229  
Long-term liabilities:            
Accrued liabilities     124,361       121,682  
Accrued and deferred income taxes     130,954       130,084  
Operating lease liabilities     50,676       47,020  
Total liabilities     575,810       566,015  
Shareholders’ equity:            
Common Stock     1,504       1,510  
Class B Common Stock     359       359  
Capital surplus     103,097       99,303  
Retained earnings     1,994,279       1,926,549  
Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (23,631 )     (23,761 )
Total shareholders’ equity     2,075,608       2,003,960  
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity   $ 2,651,418     $ 2,569,975  
 

Detail of Operating Results
(Unaudited)

    Thirteen Weeks Ended May 25, 2024     Thirteen Weeks Ended May 27, 2023  
    Core
Laundry
  Specialty   First         Core
Laundry
  Specialty   First      
(In thousands, except percentages)   Operations   Garments   Aid   Total     Operations   Garments   Aid   Total  
Revenues   $ 528,454   $ 47,582   $ 27,292   $ 603,328     $ 501,719   $ 49,407   $ 25,542   $ 576,668  
Revenue Growth %     5.3 %   -3.7 %   6.9 %   4.6 %                  
                                     
Operating Income (Loss) (1), (2)   $ 36,929   $ 11,373   $ 148   $ 48,450     $ 20,995   $ 12,455   $ (53 ) $ 33,397  
Operating Margin     7.0 %   23.9 %   0.5 %   8.0 %     4.2 %   25.2 %   -0.2 %   5.8 %
                                     
EBITDA (1), (2)   $ 69,123   $ 12,408   $ 957   $ 82,488     $ 49,812   $ 13,400   $ 739   $ 63,951  
EBITDA Margin     13.1 %   26.1 %   3.5 %   13.7 %     9.9 %   27.1 %   2.9 %   11.1 %
                                                     
(1)  The Company’s financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 and 2023 included approximately $3.9 million and $8.4 million, respectively, of costs directly attributable to its Key Initiatives. In addition, the Company incurred costs related to the acquisition of Clean Uniform during the third quarter of fiscal 2023 of approximately $0.7 million. These costs were recorded to the Core Laundry Operations.
(2)  The Key Initiatives’ costs and Clean acquisition costs combined to decrease both Core Laundry Operations’ operating margin and EBITDA margin for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 and 2023 by 0.7% and 1.8%, respectively.
                                                     
    Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended May 25, 2024          Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended May 27, 2023        
    Core
Laundry 
Specialty    First            Core
Laundry 
Specialty    First        
(In thousands, except percentages)     Operations   Garments    Aid    Total        Operations    Garments    Aid    Total   
Revenues   $ 1,574,863   $ 135,713   $ 76,988   $ 1,787,564     $ 1,456,167   $ 135,613   $ 69,377   $ 1,661,157  
Revenue Growth %     8.2 %   0.1 %   11 %   7.6 %                          
                                                     
Operating Income (Loss) (3), (4)   $ 98,066   $ 33,391   $ (1,927 ) $ 129,530     $ 68,468   $ 30,683   $ (1,626 ) $ 97,525  
Operating Margin     6.2 %   24.6 %   -2.5 %   7.2 %     4.7 %   22.6 %   -2.3 %   5.9 %
                                                     
EBITDA (3), (4)   $ 194,089   $ 36,478   $ 603   $ 231,170     $ 149,754   $ 33,668   $ 692   $ 184,114  
EBITDA Margin     12.3 %   26.9 %   0.8 %   12.9 %     10.3 %   24.8 %   1 %   11.1 %
                                                     
(3)  The Company’s financial results for the first nine months of fiscal 2024 and 2023 included approximately $10.0 million and $27.5 million, respectively, of costs directly attributable to its Key Initiatives. In addition, the Company incurred costs related to the acquisition of Clean Uniform during the first nine months of fiscal 2023 of approximately $2.7 million. These costs were recorded to the Core Laundry Operations.
(4)  The Key Initiatives’ costs and Clean acquisition costs combined to decrease both Core Laundry Operations’ operating margin and EBITDA margin for the first nine months of fiscal 2024 and 2023 by 0.6% and 2.1%, respectively.
                                                     

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited)

(In thousands)   May 25, 2024     May 27, 2023  
Cash flows from operating activities:            
Net income   $ 100,839     $ 76,043  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:            
Depreciation and amortization (1)     103,453       88,115  
Share-based compensation     7,145       6,874  
Accretion on environmental contingencies     948       777  
Accretion on asset retirement obligations     721       690  
Deferred income taxes     4,048       11,709  
Other     1,061       16  
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:            
Receivables, less reserves     (5,288 )     (22,148 )
Inventories     (13,101 )     2,110  
Rental merchandise in service     5,308       (19,544 )
Prepaid expenses and other current assets and Other assets     (11,518 )     67  
Accounts payable     (5,118 )     3,492  
Accrued liabilities     (3,212 )     (13,152 )
Prepaid and accrued income taxes     7,726       7,758  
Net cash provided by operating activities     193,012       142,807  
             
Cash flows from investing activities:            
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired     (203 )     (306,192 )
Capital expenditures, including capitalization of software costs     (121,937 )     (124,067 )
Purchases of investments     (24,581 )     (117,012 )
Maturities of investments     21,679       107,000  
Proceeds from sale of assets     749       517  
Net cash used in investing activities     (124,293 )     (439,754 )
             
Cash flows from financing activities:            
Payment of deferred financing costs           (851 )
Borrowings under line of credit           80,000  
Repayments under line of credit           (80,000 )
Proceeds from exercise of share-based awards     3       3  
Taxes withheld and paid related to net share settlement of equity awards     (2,731 )     (2,850 )
Repurchase of Common Stock     (15,962 )      
Payment of cash dividends     (17,436 )     (16,527 )
Net cash used in financing activities     (36,126 )     (20,225 )
             
Effect of exchange rate changes     210       76  
             
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents     32,803       (317,096 )
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period     79,443       376,399  
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period   $ 112,246     $ 59,303  
 
(1)  Depreciation and amortization for the first nine months of fiscal 2024 and 2023 included approximately $13.9 million and $9.8 million, respectively, of non-cash amortization expense recognized on acquisition-related intangible assets.
 

Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company reports its consolidated financial results in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). To supplement the Company’s consolidated financial results in this press release, the Company also presents EBITDA and EBITDA margin, which are non-GAAP financial measures. The Company defines EBITDA as net income before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization. EBITDA margin is defined as EBITDA for a period divided by revenue for the same period.

The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful supplemental information regarding the performance of the Company and its segments to both management and investors. These non-GAAP financial measures exclude certain items that may impact the comparability of the Company’s results. In addition, by excluding certain items, these non-GAAP financial measures enable management and investors to further evaluate the underlying operating performance of the Company.

Supplemental reconciliations of the Company’s consolidated net income on a GAAP basis to EBITDA and EBITDA margin, which are non-GAAP financial measures, are presented in the following tables. Investors are encouraged to review the reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, which are provided below. EBITDA and EBITDA margin should be considered in addition to, and not as substitutes for, or in isolation from, measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

The Company does not allocate its provision for income taxes to its business segments and as a result, presents it in a separate column in the following tables.

  Thirteen Weeks Ended May 25, 2024  
    Core Laundry     Specialty     First              
(In thousands, except percentages)   Operations     Garments     Aid     Other     Total  
Revenue   $ 528,454     $ 47,582     $ 27,292     $     $ 603,328  
                               
Net income   $ 37,813     $ 11,373     $ 148     $ (11,277 )   $ 38,057  
Provision for income taxes                       11,277       11,277  
Interest income, net     (1,406 )                       (1,406 )
Depreciation and amortization     32,716       1,035       809             34,560  
EBITDA   $ 69,123     $ 12,408     $ 957     $     $ 82,488  
EBITDA Margin     13.1 %     26.1 %     3.5 %           13.7 %
  Thirteen Weeks Ended May 27, 2023  
    Core Laundry     Specialty     First              
(In thousands, except percentages)   Operations     Garments     Aid     Other     Total  
Revenue   $ 501,719     $ 49,407     $ 25,542     $     $ 576,668  
                               
Net income   $ 20,927     $ 12,455     $ (53 )   $ (9,053 )   $ 24,276  
Provision for income taxes                       9,053       9,053  
Interest income, net     (553 )                       (553 )
Depreciation and amortization     29,438       945       792             31,175  
EBITDA   $ 49,812     $ 13,400     $ 739     $     $ 63,951  
EBITDA Margin     9.9 %     27.1 %     2.9 %           11.1 %
  Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended May 25, 2024                      
    Core Laundry     Specialty     First              
(In thousands, except percentages)   Operations     Garments     Aid     Other     Total  
Revenue   $ 1,574,863     $ 135,713     $ 76,988     $     $ 1,787,564  
                               
Net income   $ 100,843     $ 33,391     $ (1,927 )   $ (31,468 )   $ 100,839  
Provision for income taxes                       31,468       31,468  
Interest income, net     (4,590 )                       (4,590 )
Depreciation and amortization     97,836       3,087       2,530             103,453  
EBITDA   $ 194,089     $ 36,478     $ 603     $     $ 231,170  
EBITDA Margin     12.3 %     26.9 %     0.8 %           12.9 %
  Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended May 27, 2023  
    Core Laundry     Specialty     First              
(In thousands, except percentages)   Operations     Garments     Aid     Other     Total  
Revenue   $ 1,456,167     $ 135,613     $ 69,377     $     $ 1,661,157  
                               
Net income   $ 73,295     $ 30,683     $ (1,626 )   $ (26,309 )   $ 76,043  
Provision for income taxes                       26,309       26,309  
Interest income, net     (6,353 )                       (6,353 )
Depreciation and amortization     82,812       2,985       2,318             88,115  
EBITDA   $ 149,754     $ 33,668     $ 692     $     $ 184,114  
EBITDA Margin     10.3 %     24.8 %     1.0 %           11.1 %
                                       

Supplemental reconciliations of the Company’s fiscal 2024 financial outlook for consolidated net income on a GAAP basis to EBITDA and EBITDA margin, which are non-GAAP financial measures, are presented in the following table. In addition, supplemental reconciliations of the fiscal 2024 financial outlook for segments’ net income on a GAAP basis to segments’ EBITDA and EBITDA margin, which are non-GAAP financial measures, are also presented in the following table.

Investors are encouraged to review the reconciliations of the outlook for these non-GAAP measures to the outlook for their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, which are provided below. The Company’s outlook contains forward-looking statements and information. Actual results may differ materially. See “Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure.”

    Fifty-Three Weeks Ended August 31, 2024 (1)  
                Specialty Garments,  
          Core Laundry     First Aid, and  
(In thousands, except percentages)   Consolidated     Operations     Other  
Revenue   $ 2,420,000     $ 2,138,000     $ 282,000  
                   
Net income   $ 137,400     $ 144,000     $ (6,600 )
Provision for income taxes     44,600             44,600  
Interest income, net     (5,500 )     (5,500 )      
Depreciation and amortization     140,900       133,400       7,500  
EBITDA   $ 317,400     $ 271,900     $ 45,500  
EBITDA Margin     13.1 %     12.7 %     16.1 %
 
(1)  Amounts represent the midpoint of the Company’s fiscal 2024 financial outlook.
 


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